The Source of Darkness
by cyberslavekitten
Summary: When darkness threatens to take them all over, and learning someone upon the Land of Departure, is who is luring the darkness to them, the three heroes depart their home and try to help the others to live. But Aqua finds that her heart is with Terra. 3
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

~Beginning in the Land of Departure~

My blue hair was gently ruffling in the light breeze; I moved it out of my eyes as Terra came walking out with Ventus. Ven began to run past me and Terra chuckled as he slowed to a stop beside me. Ventus pulled out the wooden keyblade that Terra had carved for him, the name of its creator was carved into the side of it, and I smiled.

"C'mon Terra! Let's battle!" he shouted to him enthusiastically, he looked at me shrugged with a sigh. I sat down on the stone steps and watched as Terra pulled out his keyblade. They faced each other and held their battles stances. As they began I heard the footsteps down the stairs, I looked up as Master Eraqus joined my watching them.

In his clenched fist was a wrinkled letter. I looked up at him; there was anger in his eyes. "Master Eraqus," I asked softly as I stood up and looked at him. He said nothing; I bit my lip gently as he approached the guys.

Terra was the first to notice Master Eraqus, he pushed away and looked at him, Ven soon followed suit. I went quickly after him and joined the guys, I stood between them. "Master," they said on each side of me, bowing their heads slightly. When they looked up he took a deep breath.

"I've received a letter today from Master Xehanort," he said calmly, his voice shook slightly, "He's just informed me that danger is coming our way, and someone here is luring it to us, the darkness of every world will be upon us within days," he said gravely, I looked at the two beside me, both wearing masks of shock.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I looked back Master; his face was a field of pain and misery. "Master, how does Master Xehanort know this," I asked. He looked at me with dangerous eyes of anger.

"None of us should question his knowledge, he far more knowing than any of us put together," he said, his tone was low and angry, I looked down and I felt Terra's hand on my shoulder, I looked at him and he smiled a little at me, I smiled back softly.

"You said within days," I whispered before tearing my eyes away from Terra's, "How many do you think," I asked.

Master looked down and rubbed his eyes with exhaustion, "Two, maybe three," he muttered. I bit my lip and looked down at my feet once more, there was anger blaring in the air, and the danger was pressing in on us from all sides.

"Then we should prepare," Terra said, I looked at him; his eyes were dark as he stared at the ground. I shuddered as I could feel the cold radiating from him. He looked up at Master who nodded.

"Yes," he said before turning and leaving. I looked down once more and took a deep shaky breath.

"I'll be right back," Ven said before running inside after Master.

"Aqua," I heard Terra whisper, I looked at him, he had intentions deep within his eyes, but I couldn't quite figure them out. "You know what we have to do don't you," he asked, I nodded calmly. We would be forever fighting off the creatures that would always mean us harm.

"Yes, I do, but my only question is this," I replied softly, "Can we do it," I asked. He looked up into the blue sky thoughtfully as the sun was setting far in the west.

"I wish I could answer that," he replied thoughtfully. I sighed and looked down as a fearful tear streaked down my cheek; I wiped it away quickly before I felt Terra's arms around me, hugging me tightly. I rested my head against his chest and sighed.

"I'm scared Terra, and I don't scare easily," I whispered, I felt him nod as he brushed his fingers through my hair.

"I know Aqua, but we can beat this, we just need a strategy, and it may be tough, but we're keyblade masters, we can do this," he replied gently.

I looked up at him and his lips met mine, I felt a thrill fly through my skin as I pressed closer to him, my arms wrapping around his neck. His arms slithered around my waist and pulled me closer to him as our kiss deepened. I felt him shiver a little before pulling away quickly.

My arms dropped and I stared at him, our eyes were connected as lust blazed in his eyes. "Aqua," he whispered before taking a step forward.

"Guys!" Ven shouted as he ran down the steps again, I looked at him as I recomposed myself, Terra smiled and looked at him as he approached, "What are we gonna do about this," Ven asked.

"We were actually discussing that just now," Terra said as he looked at me with a coy grin, I looked away blushing slightly. Ven didn't notice as he stared at Terra, I quickly composed myself; there would be plenty of time for that kind of thought later.

"Well did you figure anything out," Ven asked, Terra shook his head.

"Not quite yet," Terra said truthfully, we walked over to the steps and sat down. I rested my chin in one of my hands as I thought deeply about our predicament. There was silence among us all as the sun set fully, finally Master came out to find us still sitting on the stairs, deep in thought, and I looked over and saw Ven deep asleep on the stone steps.

I smiled and touched Terra's shoulder he looked over and smiled lightly, he slid his hands under Ven and pulled him into his arms and picked him up easily. I followed him up the stairs past the Master.

We went up to Ven's room where Terra placed him on the bed against the wall. I smiled as I watched Terra place the blanket on top of Ven and walked past me out of the room; I flicked off the light and followed him down the hallway.

I watched Terra shut his door to his room behind him. I walked into my room and shut the door behind me as well; I leaned against the door and sighed as I slid down to the floor, pulling my knees close to my chest as I felt tears sliding endlessly down my face. I buried my face in my hands and began to sob quietly; our world would end, as would the other worlds that were slowly being taken by the darkness.

I felt our lives would soon be over, and we couldn't hide in the fear of death any longer. But if I felt like this towards death, why was I sobbing uncontrollably? Was I afraid to lose them? Terra and Ven? Yes. That had to be it.

I walked over to my bed and sat on it with despair pouring from eyes. We were to die; there was no doubt about it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

~Departure of Love~

I heard the screams of "No!" my eyes snapped open and quickly jumped out of my bed and ran to the door. I wrenched it open and ran to Ven's room, his bed was empty, and I gasped and ran to Terra's room. I yanked the door out of my way, "Terra, please don't!" I heard Ven scream; I ran to the window and saw Terra standing in the grass staring up at the sky as Ven ran to him.

I gasped and ran out of Terra's room; I quickly went to the main room and to the front gates. I ran out of the main doors and jumped off the main steps. Terra's keyblade was now in his hand and Ven was lying unconscious on the ground. I ran over, "Terra!" I shouted as he turned away from me, I could have sworn I had seen a tear in the moonlight, "Terra, why are you doing this," I screamed as tears began to streak down my face.

"Master was right," he muttered, his back to me. I could hear the sadness in his words, "One of us is luring the dark here," he whispered.

I gasped, "No, Terra you can't be suggesting that it's you," I said tearfully. He didn't looked at me as he hit his armor and it formed over his body, "Terra, no!" I shouted as I ran to him, he spun around and grabbed my wrist roughly, I could see his face through his armor, and the tears were plain on his face.

"Don't stop me Aqua, if I stay everyone could die," he whispered.

I felt my lower lip trembling as whimpered, I needed to tell him to stay, and I needed to _make_ him stay. He couldn't leave, we needed him. We were masters, we couldn't run from this. "Terra…" I whispered, he shook his head and pushed me back, I tripped over Ven's body and fell backwards onto the ground as I watched him throw his keyblade into the air.

It came back down as his glider; he leapt onto it and was gone. "I love you though…" I felt the words spill from my lips for the first time. The gloomy look on his face had about killed me, and now I felt my heart being pulled out of me slowly.

I saw Ven move beneath my legs, I moved away quickly and wiped away my tears as I grabbed his shoulders, "Ven," I said urgently as his eyes began to flutter open.

"Terra," he whispered instantly.

I looked away to hide the tears that attempted to start again. He got up quickly and looked around, "Ven…Terra's gone," I whispered, my voice caught in my throat on my final word and I looked away with my hand to my mouth.

I heard his fist slam against his armor and the swooshing of the glider. I looked up just as he leapt onto the glider and was gone. I gasped and quickly followed after on my own glider, there was sadness in the air as we left.

"_Don't stop me Aqua, if I stay everyone could die,"_ his words echoed in my mind and I flew into the dark portal. There was no hope if I couldn't get him; I needed them both with me, my boys.

I felt my tears flying off my face despite the mask that I wore over it to protect myself. I was now in a battle against these dark creatures, and my very heart. I needed to get them both before we found out who was tempting those creatures towards us. I had a feeling in the back of my mind, that I wouldn't like the answer.

I soon found myself in a new world; in it was a dark presence, but also a light. A light that would repel that darkness, I could feel it in my soul. I landed in an area overgrown with flowers and vines. I smiled at the scent that enticed me, my armor fell away, and I felt slightly calmer.

I looked around and saw nothing different, nothing weird. But then I heard the child's laughter, and the voice that screamed, "But Vinnie I'm the great ninja Yuffie!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

~Childish Intentions~

I walked through the small town, as I walked around a corner I found the source of the voice. A man with long black hair and a golden claw was holding a young toddler by her ankle upside-down; she was swiping at him as he sighed. She was giggling, "But Vinnie!" she said as she attempted to kick at him.

"Yuffie, when you learn that my hair isn't removable I'll stop doing this," he said unimpressed.

"But it's longer than mine! Mommy said that my hair can be removed by cutting it and I've seen it!" she shouted in reply, he sighed and began to swing her back in forth by her ankle, she began to giggle hysterically.

"Yuffie, my hair. Is not. A toy," he said slowly. She looked up at him in a pout.

"Then can I play with your claw?" she asked ecstatically.

"Again, not removable," he stated simply.

She burst into a fit of hysterical giggles, "I know that silly!" she said as she reached for it.

"You know that my claw can hurt you Yuffie," he said as he put her at arms length.

"I don't mind, I like it!" she said happily.

"You like it?" he asked, she nodded, "You mean the pain or my claw," he asked.

"Both!" she shouted; I watched as a blush crept over his face and he quickly put her down.

"Why don't you go play with your Materia," he said as he watched her run off.

"Materia!" she shouted as she ran off in excitement. I bit my lip as I watched him quickly look away from her small figure as she ran past me. She ran into my legs and looked up at me; she had on a pair of tan shorts and a flowered tank top. She grinned up at me, "Sorry about that," she said giggling before running past me.

I looked up at 'Vinnie' and he was staring at me, it seemed like a storm was brewing in his eyes. He started walking towards the young child named Yuffie, but he stopped in front of me, "Why are you staring at me," he asked, I heard a metal clanking, I looked down to see a gold metal claw attached to his left hand, I shuddered as I watched the sharpness of the tips and took a small step back.

"Who are you," I asked, he smiled darkly.

"Vincent Valentine," he said before walking past me.

"Is she your daughter," I asked, he looked back at me with a venomous glare.

"No," he snapped. _PEDOPHILIA! _My mind screamed, I held back the small smile to keep from angering him as he started to walk away again. His cape blowing back behind him, exposing a large gun on his side, I looked away and started to move quickly away before I heard the little girl's voice.

I looked back as I watched her grab his cape and wrap it around her face, "Rawer I'm Chaos!" she squealed, I giggled a little before leaving. She really was a strange child.

I sighed as I continued my search for Terra, I looked around the place as I heard another squeal, I looked up to see a little girl running towards me, she quickly hid behind my leg, I looked up as a group of Unverse came flying towards us.

My keyblade quickly appeared in my hand and I began to strike at the strange creatures. They appeared around me as I fought them away from the young child. I could sense a light was emitting from her, and my job would be to protect her. For now.

I could hear her whimpering with fear just behind me as I slashed left and right, my key blade ripping through the flesh of each. I watched as the crazed feeling of loss ripped through me, I needed to find him, I needed to find _them_.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

~Regret~

I looked back at the girl as the last of the dark creatures disappeared into the abyss. She was shaking visibly and I walked over to her, "You're safe now," I whispered smiling, she looked up at, her eyes twinkled and then a childish smile broke over her face.

"Thank you!" she squealed hugging me around my middle, I smiled and chuckled softly, lightly patting her head.

"Be careful from now on," I instructed, she nodded once.

"I will!" she said smiling before releasing me and running towards and elderly woman, "Grandma!" she squealed.

I smiled and stood up, so much innocence, so much light. This place was so radiant, it seemed darkness wanted it though. As the clear sky gleamed in the rays of the sun which crashed to the earth in a smooth stream of brightness, I felt myself slowly easing into a calmness, but I knew damn well what I had to do, what _had_ to happen.

I hurried my way through the town, my ears alert and ready as I kept my attention high for him. _Terra…please come home… _I felt pain stricken tears forming in my eyes, this pain was awful. I needed to find him and show he wasn't the cause of anything.

I began my walk through the large town, the citizens walked past in hurries, loud voices carrying over them all and I bit my lip. It was such a strange place, much more different from the home I'd recently left behind for the man who'd left me behind. I clenched my fists at my sides and I glared down at the ground, I refused to let that be the end. He wasn't the cause, _he wasn't!_

I heard a high pitched scream and I turned as Unverse began to develop out of nowhere. I glared as my keyblade appeared in my fingers. I ran forward and began to beat each creature. Their black blood splashing and disappearing within seconds of hitting the ground; I glared at them as they continued to reform. I couldn't beat them all. I looked around hurriedly, for a sign of help, but there were no other keyblade users around here…only me…

I sighed in disappointment and persevered, I would die fighting, I would go down saving the innocent people. When I fell backwards from the force of several Unversed charging me I let out a light cry but I wouldn't give in.

When I felt their sharp claws on my skin, tearing at it trying to get at the light in my heart I heard the familiar yell. I looked up as the Unverse were forced off of me, I saw…_Terra!_ I gasped and forced myself to my feet and we defeated the creatures, slowly their numbers dwindled away and we found ourselves safe.

Terra turned away, ready to walk away and I shook my head, I wasn't ready to let him go. "Terra," I whispered, grabbing his wrist, he looked back at me with a sad look in his eyes, "Please…don't go."

"I have to, don't you see how dangerous it is to be around me? I'm bringing these creatures here with the darkness in my heart. I couldn't pass the Mark of Mastery test because of it and now I might as well be an outcast for it."

I shook my head, "Everyone has darkness in their hearts, myself, even Ven, but we can't run away from our problems, we have to stand and face them."

"I intend, just not around you…I don't want you hurt because of me."

_If you leave it will hurt…_

I shook my head again, even more defiantly, "I can handle myself."

"I could see that when those things almost killed you. If it weren't for me you'd be dead."

"Exactly." I said with a gentle smile and pulled him back towards me and looked up into his eyes, "Terra, you think the darkness controls you, it's not true, you saved me, that counts for something. Doesn't it?"

I felt my lower lip trembling as I fought to compose myself in front of him, I wanted him to stay, I _needed_ him to stay. "Terra, I'll help you control this, I can keep my darkness under control, and so can Ven, we can help you, I know we can."

"I don't think so…"

"Terra…pleas-"

He kissed me fervently on the lips and pulled me closer to him as a few tears dripped down my face and I pulled him closer, my fingers desperately clinging to this man. I felt him smile as his lips slowly pulled away. I looked up at him, trying to quickly hide my tears as I shook my hair in my face to hide it.

He shook his head and brushed my hair side, "Don't hide," he whispered softly, "I know you want me to come home, I know you don't want me to leave because of my fears, but these are things I _have_ to do."

I shook my head frantically, "No! We can help you! I know we can!"

Terra sighed and his head dropped as he stared at the ground, his fingers still settled on my hips comfortably "Aqua…I can't let you get physically hurt because of me, around me you will be in danger."

"I like the danger…" I whispered, and then began to blush when I realized I'd muttered it aloud. He looked down at me in surprise.

"Y-You…like the danger I present?" he asked in confusion.

I sighed and looked into his eyes, "Terra, I'm a big girl. I'll deal with the danger if you stay with me, I won't lose you, I _won't_." My eyes began to storm with determination as I kept a hold on him, "I love you Terra, I know you think you're dangerous, but I don't."

He shook his head, "I don't know Aqua…"

I took a couple steps back and hit the switch on my arm and my armor formed over my skin like a type of skin, sliding over my skin like water. Terra followed suit, I threw my keyblade up and it shifted into my ride. I looked at Terra, he couldn't see the cascading tears on my face, I voice wavered slightly as I spoke, "Come with me."

He nodded and we both flew into the rift that was formed. I kept an eye on him to make sure he didn't scamper off. He needed to see this, it was something I'd seen during a previous adventure.

We landed finally in a desert, he landed beside me as our armor faded away. He looked at me in confusion, "Where are we?" he asked softly.

"A graveyard," I murmured, he followed me out of the canyon and out to a plain. Across the plain looked like tall dark grass, but upon further inspection it could be seen that the grass was actually keyblades stuck in the ground, he looked at me.

"A graveyard?"

"For keyblades, I've visited this place once before, and when I did I found this horrible sight…" my voice began to shake, "Terra, this is where darkness will lead you. Do you really want _your_ keyblade to be stuck in the ground here as well?"

"But…what caused this?"

"A war, I did some research when I got back to Master's. A war that was caused by darkness, that was when everything began to shift. Terra, I don't want to see you end up here. Please…let me help…I know something else is causing darkness _around_ you. But it's not you, you're not evil, you're not bad! Please! Understand this!"

Terra looked away, shaking his head hard. "No!" he finally shouted, I took a step back, somewhat surprised at his sudden outburst. "Aqua, I'm not safe, so let me be dangerous away from other people. Even…even if this place is the only way I can do that."

"No." I retorted firmly, he turned on me, but his angry look turned to one of surprise when he saw my face, contorted with anger and sadness. "I'm not losing you to the darkness, and you're not staying here. I brought you here to show you what your path will lead you to. I don't want you to end up here. I want you to see what is actually happening. You're not the darkness! You've saved me on more than one occasion, not just today. Now, you're coming back with me, we can figure this out together. I want to take you back to Master, he knows how to help, even if he doesn't know what's causing this."

Terra stared at me for a few moments, as though thinking hard, I slapped the button on I shoulder, setting my armor off once more. I waited for him to do the same before they took off.

Within minutes we were back at Master's. I walked up the stairs, Terra sulking behind me, I knew he wasn't looking forward to scolding he would be getting from Master. But I was following orders, he wanted him back.

We went to Master's study where he was looking over papers and papers of things. I knocked on the door, Master turned and saw them, he stood up instantly and we bowed quickly.

"Rise," he said quickly. "Aqua, leave us, I wish to speak to Terra alone, I will come find you when we're done."

I nodded quickly, departing to my room. On my way there I decided I might as well stop by and see…I stopped dead, my heart began to race. I forgot to get Ven!

I took off at a dead run to my room, I had to collect a few things before departing again, I'd left so quickly before that I didn't have an opportunity to get anything.

Master had arrived at my room before I finished grabbing the few things I needed. When he walked in I turned and went into a deep bow, hoping to god that he wouldn't hate me for my negligence. "Master! I'm so sorry, in my rush to bring home Terra I forgot Ven. I'm leaving now to collect him."

There was silence for a while. "Very well," he finally said, "When you return I have several tasks for the three of you to complete, Terra is going to be working on his while you are gone then. You need to be careful, its becoming more dangerous out there than I feared."

"Yes Master," I said before straightening up, "I'll be off."

I left quickly and ran out, I needed to get Ven. As I hit my shoulder button, I jumped onto my bike, and I was gone. Ven was my top priority, and I'd messed up big time. I was very surprised as to why Master wasn't mad at me, he was so calm, was it because I was going to correct my mistake?

I couldn't think about that now. Ven needed my help, and I had to do that now.

"Ven, I'm coming."


End file.
